Five candidates, in the most contested USFSP presidential election yet, discussed the role of the student body president at a debate on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Cody Boyer thinks the president sets a good example. Sophia Constantine said the president should go to administration to advocate for the students. Steven Bird believes the president represents the students for what they want. Tyler Hanson said the president should do what the student body thinks is best for themselves. Thomas Boyd believes the president should serve the students in an efficient and financially responsible way.
The candidates come from different places. Some, such as Constantine, are established leaders with Student Government. Others, like Boyd, have experience with campus communications. Some spend their time playing video games in the Cove. Two teams have no previous SG experience.
The debate questions centered around serving the students. Topics included free printing, library hours, Sodexo, response to student interests and sustainable initiatives.
When asked how she would increase operational hours of the library, Constantine referred to the relationships she and her running mate Franklin Alves have with administration. The morning of the debate, Alves met with library dean Carol Hixson to discuss their idea for a calculator checkout program. She said they would work directly with Hixson to change hours.
Bird then took the podium and rebutted Constantine. “I think the first step throughout opening this channel is actually talking to the students first,” he said, adding it was important to see if there was actually a need before going to the administration.
Hanson said the student-driven Facebook forum, the USFSP Know-It-All’s Guide, influenced him to run. Despite the chaos of the page, students raise good points and are often told to join Senate, he explained.
“I don’t think joining the Senate is the ideal way to have to get your opinion out there,” he said, causing a stir from the section where several SG members were seated.
Boyd thinks SG can do a better job of listening to students. If elected, he said he plans to ask his senators to go out on campus and talk to students for at least an hour per week.
As a transfer student from USF Tampa, Boyer saw how free printing worked at a larger campus. After swiping their IDs, each student was allowed up to 22 pages. After that, each page cost 10 cents. After pausing, he concluded, “We can get you guys free printing.”
Bird doesn’t want to limit free printing to one room. He thinks kiosks for students to swipe their ID all around campus would be helpful.
Regarding Sodexo, USFSP’s contracted food supplier, Constantine believes she and Alves have connections from previously being on staff with them. She pointed to her work in extending the Reef hours during the fall. “If someone can work with them, it is going to be Franklin and myself.”
Hanson had different thoughts on Sodexo from his experience with living in the dorms. “We pretty much all hate it,” he said. He said he wants to make clear pushes against them.
In the vice president debate, Alexa Burch, Boyd’s running partner, discussed Sodexo when talking about her platform.
“Yes. Sodexo sucks. We’re sorry,” she said. Acknowledging the university’s five-year contract with Sodexo, she said it wasn’t going away. She hopes to involve more organic and local food on campus.
Vice president candidates bounced ideas for SG communication with PeteSync, goals for the vice president seat and improvements for student life. Calculator checkouts, improving the commuter experience and usage of Facebook were discussed among candidates as new ideas for the student body.
“We’re here for you guys, and we want you guys to have a successful time at USF St. Petersburg,” said Alves, in his closing statement.
At the end of the debate, Gonzalez turned to Tift. “I just wanted to say, kudos to you.” She turned to the crowd. “They’re not a part of Student Government. They’re just a part of the crowd. They want to be here. They want to have a voice.”
Tift approached Gonzalez after the debate and thanked her for her words. “Someone understands!” he said to her. They exchanged a hug.
Like Tift and Hanson, Boyd and Burch also lack SG experience. But Boyd told The Crow’s Nest he thought the debate was “smashing.”
“Our main goal was to dispel any rumors that we were a joke campaign,” he said.
“We’re not just running around with dinosaurs,” Burch added.
